QUOTE: "I'm afraid (Graeme) went a couple of years later. He was put away for having an unnatural relationship with his computer."

(a) Who says this quote?

(b) Who is he speaking to?

(c) Which episode is this quote from?

QUIZ: This month's questions are from the episode "Scatty Safari"

(d) Which celebrity does Bill throw a bucket of slops at when feeding him?

(e) Who is the next celebrity target of the hunter who shoots Tony Blackburn?

(f) Name any three of the four Harrises listed in the Observers Book of Stars.

(g) Where is the other Rolf Harris in captivity located?

(h) How many Rolfs are supposedly infesting Britain when they breed to plague proportions?

The answers are listed at the end of this newsletter.

2. BOFFO IDEAS

**************

You can make it happen here. Liven up the club with a boffo idea for bob-a-job week. E-mail <enquiries@goodiesruleok.com> with your comments, ideas or suggestions - meanwhile these are the boffo ideas which our club has been working on this month:

WEBSITE POLLS

Last month's poll was a closely-run race with 3 great poll options (and the Rolf one!) going neck-and-neck and String was the thing just ahead of Rolf (who was slightly nobbled with his extra leg) and Goodies Rule-OK just running a place ahead of Camelot.

Which is your favourite episode from the new Goodies DVD

(The Goodies...At Last - Back for More, Again)?

- Cecily 12 votes

- The Music Lovers 12 votes

- The New Office 9 votes

- Camelot 52 votes

- Goodies Rule - OK? 54 votes

- It Might As Well Be String 63 votes

- 2001 and A Bit 11 votes

- Royal Command 14 votes

- I want the one with Rolf Harris! 62 votes

Total: 289 votes

2010 was a huge year for Goodies fans and here's your chance to tell us which bit of rather plentiful good, good Goodies news excited you the most. Cast your vote today ... you know it makes sense!

What do you think was the most exciting Goodies news of 2010?

- Goodies repeats on the BBC

- Goodies repeats in Australia / NZ

- release of a new Goodies DVD

- publication of Andrew Pixley's book

- Goodies receive Aardman/Slapstick award

- it was all exciting!

- the Rolf option topping the polls

3. SPOTTED!!!

*************

More exciting than getting your wig-spotters badge! If you've seen the Goodies recently, e-mail <clarion@goodiesruleok.com> with the details. Here's where we've Spotted!!! the Goodies this month:

Goodies fans are celebrating after the BBC decided to repeat full episodes for the first time in more than 25 years.

BBC Two will air eight episodes over Christmas, with the first going out late at night next Wednesday.

It has been suggested that the BBC had refused to air the shows until now because Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie and Tim Brooke-Taylor defected to ITV for their last series. The corporation did not even release the shows on DVD, leaving it to an independent company to secure the rights to a 'best of' collection.

In a recent interview, Oddie said: 'Has the BBC been bearing a grudge for 30 years?'

Garden added: 'We've never known the real reason they won't show us, because whenever we've asked about repeats we've been given a different story.'

However, the trio clearly still have fans: a Return Of The Goodies special attracted 1.77 million viewers to BBC Two last month, even though it was a five-year-old repeat.

The eight episodes to be repeated to mark the trio's 40th anniversary include the classics Kitten King, Kung Fu Kapers (also known as Ecky-Thump) and The Goodies And The Beanstalk, as well as lesser-known installments such as The Lighthouse and the disco-themed Saturday Night Grease.

Lisa Manekofsky, president of The Goodies Rule - OK! fan club, said: 'Goodies fans are rejoicing over the news and hoping this is only the beginning of The Goodies return to the BBC.'

* Thurs, 23 December 11.30pm: Kung Fu Kapers (this had been changed to Earthanasia, but is now back to Kung Fu Kapers)

* Sat, 25 December 12.25am: The Goodies and The Beanstalk (NOTE THAT THIS IS JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT ON CHRISTMAS EVE )

* Mon, 27 December 12.15am: Kitten Kong (NOTE THAT THIS IS JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT ON BOXING DAY)

* Mon, 27 December 11.30pm: Lighthouse Keeping Loonies

* Tues, 28 December at midnight: Saturday Night Grease

* Weds, 29 Dec at 11.15pm: either Loch Ness Monster or Double Trouble (note that in Scotland this airs at midnight)

* Thurs, 30 December at midnight: The Stone Age

It's very likely that viewer feedback to the November "Return of The Goodies" repeat played a role in the BBC deciding to show 8 Goodies episodes this month. Let's work on getting more repeats and DVDs!

We encourage fans to spread the word and for *BBC license payers* to call or write the BBC with positive feedback and to request more of "The Goodies". The BBC can be contacted by phone at 0370 010 0123, by mail at PO Box 1922, Darlington, DL3 0UR, and online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/feedback/

(Dave Wood – 23rd Dec)

I gave my feedback ­ but spent ages trying to navigate their site trying to find the best place to do it (I didn¹t want to simply waffle on their messageboard)!

On The Guardian's "Media Briefing" page for today (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/29/1 ) it says the Daily Mail has an article on page 30 entitled "The Goodies a ratings hit for BBC despite 11.30pm timeslot"!

I've gotten the text of the article, thanks to none other than Graeme Garden. :) Here is it:

"DAILY MAIL 29/12/2010

Goodies, a festive hit

DESPITE attracting more than 15 million viewers every week in the 1970s, the BBC always refused to show a single repeat of The Goodies.

Now after 30 years in the broadcasting wilderness, The Goodies have had the last laugh after becoming the surprise hit of the festive schedules.

For the first time since the series' heyday, the BBC is airing vintage episodes.

Eight classic shows are being screened over the Christmas period and are proving a huge hit - attracting between 500,000 and a million viewers despite a late 11.30pm slot on BBC2."

Today (16 December) is the release date for the Australian release of "The Goodies...At Last ...Back for More, Again!", the newest Goodies DVD with the episodes Cecily, The Music Lovers, The New Office, Goodies Rule - Ok?, Camelot, It Might As Well Be String, 2001 And A Bit, and Royal Command (this is the DVD which was released in the UK on 8 November)

A reminder about the upcoming Slapstick Festival 2011, at which Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, and Bill Oddie each will be presenting events (as individuals, not as The Goodies). The festival will be held in Bristol, England from 27-30, 2011. For more details visit http://www.slapstick.org.uk/

I've heard that some events are getting near selling out, so if you're planning to purchase tickets you may not want to wait much longer.

If you've sighted Tim, Bill or Graeme in a post-Goodies role, e-mail <clarion@goodiesruleok.com> so that we can tell everyone where to spot a Goodie nowadays. Large files (such as scans of articles or photos) for posting on the club's website can be sent to us at: groksite@gmail.com

Those of you seeking radio and tv alerts between issues of the C&G should consider signing up for the Goodies-l mailing list (more details available on the club website), as our crack (cracked?!) team of reporters attempt to post alerts as the information becomes available.

Please note: BBC RADIO SHOWS listed below can be heard online via each station's website (www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 or www.bbc.co.uk/radio7 ) and then for a week after broadcast from the BBC iPlayer (aka Listen Again), www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer . Radio shows on the iPlayer are supposed to be available for listening worldwide.

BILL SPOTTINGS

* Bill's episode of "Cash in the Celebrity Attic" is scheduled to be shown on Weds, 5 Jan on BBC 1 at 14:15.

Here's a listing, "Bird enthusiast, actor, musician and former Goodie Bill Oddie invites Angela Rippon and expert John Cameron into his London home, to locate collectables that can be sold in aid of endangered gibbons. Will his spare wildlife watercolours and vintage comedy scripts bring in the 500 pounds he hopes to make?"

(24th Dec)

* Fri, 31 Dec - "Grumpy Old New Year" on BBC 2 at 22:00 is a repeat which includes contributions from Bill.

(24th Dec)

* Mon, 3 Jan - "Who Do You Think You Are?" with Bill is repeated on Blighty at 13:00.

* Sat, 22 Jan - "Saturday Kitchen" with Bill on Good Food (& Good Food HD) at 06:00 and again at 14:30. Here's a listing: "Step-by-step recipes and top celebrity chefs. Here, James Martin plays host to Sarah Raven and Nick Nairn, while TV favourite Bill Oddie faces his food heaven and hell."

(12th January)

GRAEME SPOTTINGS

* Sat, 25 Dec - "Have I Got News for You" on Dave at 13:40 and again at 19:00 is a repeat of Graeme's first appearance on that series.

(24th Dec)

* Sun, 2 Jan - "Would I Lie to You?" on Dave at 21:00 is a repeat of the episode with Graeme.

(24th Dec)

* Weds, 19 Jan - "Play Along TV Scrabble" with Graeme on Challenge at 05:00. Here's a listing: "Toby Anstis presents the televisual version of the world's most popular word game. Played on a dynamic 3-D board, it is a fast-moving battle of words with contestants competing for a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas in the Grand Final. With guests Jan Leeming and Graeme Garden."

(12th Jan)

TIM SPOTTINGS

* Tues, Jan 4 - Thanks to Jeff Walker for a pointer to "A Family Business: The Chaplin Legacy" with Tim, which aired earlier today on BBC Radio 4 and is available on the BBC iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00x3y28/A_Family_Business_The_Chaplin_Legacy/ Here's a description: "Tim Brooke-Taylor sees how the creative legacy of Charlie Chaplin lives on through his grandson James Thierree, whose new one-man show mixes acrobatics, mime, music and illusion."

(5th Jan)

I'M SORRY I HAVEN'T A CLUE (ISIHAC) and

I'M SORRY I'LL READ THAT AGAIN (ISIRTA)

* Tim Brooke-Taylor & Graeme Garden's 2003 "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Christmas Carol" special is included in "Sue Perkins' Christmas Comedy Stocking" on BBC Radio 7 tomorrow (Saturday, 18 Dec) at 10:00 and 20:00. It can be heard online from Radio 7's website and will be available to most of the world from the BBC iPlayer after broadcast from http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007jzvz

* The following is a message from the official ISIHAC mailing list, including information about the third recording for the new series of Clue.

Please note that we are aware the item about the Goodies repeats should have said the BBC Two repeats are running through 30 December rather than just on 30 December (hopefully fans will check their local TV listings).

-----Original Message-----

From: ISIHAC Info [mailto:isihac@btinternet.com]

Dear I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue Mailing List Member,

Just a short note to:

1. Wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

2. Thank all those who braved the snow and ice to see us in Crawley on 18th December - including parties from as far afield as Cornwall and Norwich.

3. Let you know that a new series of 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue' starts transmission from 6.30pm on Monday 27th December.

3. Let you know that 'The Goodies' is being repeated on 30th December (as it was last night) on BBC2 - Graeme and Tim want you to know this by the way.

4. Tell you about our final recording of 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue', which will take place on Friday 14th January at the Central Theatre in Chatham. Tickets will go on sale from 10am on Wednesday 5th January. These are the details:

Sorry it's not further North - until we know what the weather's going to do, we've decided to play it safe.

With best wishes,

Jon Naismith

Producer, I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue

(23rd Dec)

* Sat, 25 Dec - "Sue Perkins' Christmas Comedy Stocking, Part 2" on BBC Radio 7 at 10:00 (repeated later in the day) includes an episode of "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again" as well as "Hamish and Dougal's Hogmanay Special"

(24th Dec)

* Sat, 25 Dec - The "Humph Celebration Concert" is being repeated on BBC Radio 4 at 22:00. Here's a listing: "Humphrey Lyttelton's son Stephen introduces a concert celebrating the life of his father, the acclaimed jazz musician, bandleader and much-loved host of Radio 4's perennial antidote to panel games I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. The cast of friends and admirers drawn from the worlds of music and comedy includes Wally Fawkes, Stacey Kent, Tim Brooke-Talyor, Graeme Garden, Barry Cryer, Tony Hawks, Andy Hamilton, Sandi Toksvig, Jeremy Hardy, Rob Brydon, Jack Dee, Elkie Brooks, Jools Holland, Charlie Watts the Humphrey Lyttelton Band."

(24th Dec)

* Mondays beginning 27 Dec - The new series of "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue" begins on BBC Radio 4 at 18:30 (with each episode repeated at noon the following Sunday). Here's a listing for the first episode: "Radio 4's antidote to panel games returns for its 54th series with regulars Tim Brooke-Taylor, Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden and Phill Jupitus on the panel and Jack Dee in the chair."

* Sat, 1 Jan - "Comedy Controller" on BBC Radio 7 at 9:00 (repeated later in the day) will include an episode of "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again" chosen by Arnold Brown.

(24th Dec)

* Thursdays: "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again" (Tim, Graeme, & Bill's 1960's sketch comedy radio series which also starred John Cleese, David Hatch, and Jo Kendall) is repeated on BBC Radio 7 at 12:30 & 19:30.

* Sundays - The first series of "Hamish and Dougal: You'll Have Had Your Tea" is being repeated on BBC Radio 7 at 22:15

(12th Jan)

5. GOODIES WORDFINDER

(by Brett Allender)

This puzzle contains hidden words and phrases relating to The Goodies episode "U-Friend Or UFO"

Try to find all the listed words in the puzzle. Words may be found horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Upon completion, the 11 unused letters can be rearranged to form a solution of four words (3, 2, 3 and 3 letters) from this episode - clue: "Poetic licence"

Bill Oddie's songs were a major part of "The Goodies" but, as some fans may be aware, his career as a professional songwriter actually began well before the creation of our favorite trio. Bill penned songs for many radio and television shows, with perhaps his most famous songs being those he wrote for and performed in the radio series "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again" (the 1964-1973 sketch series which also starred Tim Brooke-Taylor, John Cleese, Graeme Garden, David Hatch, and Jo Kendall). In fact, during the 1960's Bill released a string of singles as well as an album, "Distinctly Oddie" (for more details on these please visit http://www.thegoodies.info/records_solo.html ).

For the fan interested in Bill's music, there has long been a mystery. In interviews Bill had mentioned that two of his records were banned by the BBC. The first of these records, "Nothing Better to Do", had been released as single Parlophone R 5153 in 1964 (the concern was that the song, about biker gangs of Mods & Rockers causing trouble as they had "nothing better to do", might lead to violence). However, information about the second banned single was limited to brief references, such as that in a February 1974 article from the Glasgow Evening Times (which was reprinted in Clarion & Globe issue 76) which said, "Neither of Oddie's previous records - about footballer Nobby Stiles and about mods and rockers - was played [by the BBC] for censorship reasons"

The Nobby Stiles song was written after the English football team (of which he was a part) had won the 1966 World Cup. Nobby wore dentures to replace his missing front teeth; as he would remove the dentures prior to matches his gap-toothed appearance was well-known. The BBC was concerned that Bill's song, which included such lines as "we like the way that Nobby smiles" might be offensive to Stiles. In an interview for Andrew Pixley's new book "The Goodies: Super Chaps Three", Bill is quoted as saying "I don't know if Nobby ever heard it, but of course his agent did!" Andrew's book goes on to explain that Nobby's agent took out an injunction to prevent release of the single, out of concern that it "held his client up to ridicule and undermined his dignity"

Until recently (and especially prior to the publication of Andrew's book) it was incredibly difficult to find any further information about the Nobby Stiles single. However, two copies of the recording finally surfaced – a vinyl test pressing and an acetate disc. The latter came from Bill's own collection and was auctioned for charity as part of the BBC series "Cash in the Celebrity Attic" - the auction took place on September 11, 2010, with the show about it being broadcast on 5 January 2011.

On the acetate, the single's A-side is simply titled "Nobby Stiles", while the handwritten label on the vinyl test pressing names it as "The Nobby Styles March" and gives the single's catalog number as Polydor 56123 (although it was never commercially released). The tune will be familiar to those acquainted with Bill's other work from the time – the clever Mister Oddie, rather than letting the shelved work go to waste, recycled the music as well as some of the lyrics for a later song entitled "Jimmy Young" which appeared in "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again" series 7 episode 3 (originally broadcast on 26 January 1969) and was released as a single in 1969 as Decca F 12903.

"The Nobby Stiles March" features Bill singing lead vocals, with Tim Brooke-Taylor providing background vocals and John Cleese doing a spoken piece in the middle. It is a shame the BBC had concerns about Stiles being offended by the song, as it is a humorous but affectionate tribute to a well-liked, if dentally challenged, national sports hero. The lyrics talk about how the heroes of Britannia seem to come from an age gone by but now there's a modern hero, Nobby Stiles, "the face of England's pride". The chorus goes:

We love Nobby Stiles

We love the way that Nobby smiles

Tough and ruthless

Gruff and toothless

Nobby Stiles

We love Nobby Stiles

Ladies will come from miles and miles

All the mums love the flashing gums

of Nobby Stiles

The B side of the single contains the song "Old Boutique", an alternate version of which was later released on Bill's "Distinctly Oddie" album (another performance of the song appeared in "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again" Series 3 Episode 1, originally broadcast 14 March 1966) – if the "Nobby Stiles" record had been released, it would have been the only song from Bill's album to have appeared on a single.

Comparing the album version of "Old Boutique" with that on the "Nobby Stiles" single, we find that the melody and lyrics are the same but the single version is performed at a faster pace. Significantly, while Bill is the only vocalist on "Distinctly Oddie" the single version of "Old Boutique" also includes a contribution from Tim Brooke-Taylor, who provides backing vocals as well as assisting with several spoken jokes in between the verses (on the album Bill performs both parts of the jokes himself).

Only one of Bill's pre-Goodies songs has appeared on a commercial release so far, the serious "I Can't Get Through" which can be found on the 2009 CD "Saint Etienne Present Songs for the Dog and Partridge". We can only hope for a commercial release of Bill's catalog of 1960's material one day, including the long-overdue release of the songs from "The Nobby Stiles March" single.